Microsoft 'lost its way' with Halo, says MGS boss

The Master Chief to return.

Microsoft "lost its way" with the Halo franchise, according to Microsoft Game Studios boss Phil Spencer.

Speaking in relation to the future of the series, Spencer stated that the anonymous characters of Halo: Reach and Halo: ODST will be swept under the carpet, and the Master Chief will become the focal point once more.

"Playing as Master Chief, the 'John Wayne character of the universe', was a key part of what people loved about the franchise," he stated in the August 2011 issue of OXM (seen by MCV).

"We really spent time thinking about the story arc that we want to tell, in the world, to get back to Master Chief. Make it simple. It's not Halo-anything, it's Halo 4. It's the beginning of a new trilogy.

"That's the role I want Halo to play. It's not about re-enacting previous wars, it's not the kind of comic-book pulp that Gears of War is which I obviously love. Halo is a very story-driven, immersive experience, centred around Master Chief."